Lorentz contraction of box filled with gas

[granpa]

my point is that 2 events WITHIN A FRAME either are or are not synchronous. if 2 events occur simultaneously in china and new york the clocks in china may read differently than they do in new york but the events are still simultaneous.

 

[Mentz114]

granpa,

'Synchronous' does not mean the same as simultaneous. The actual readings on the clocks are irrelevant. I repeat what I said above - even in a single frame you need to define simultaneity.

We are going into a recursive loop here - and we are hijacking this thread. I'm off.

M

 

[granpa]

i said the events were synchronous. not the clocks were synchronous. Main Entry:
syn·chro·nous Listen to the pronunciation of synchronous
Pronunciation:
\ˈsiŋ-krə-nəs, ˈsin-\
Function:
adjective
Etymology:
Late Latin synchronos, from Greek, from syn- + chronos time
Date:
1669

1: happening, existing, or arising at precisely the same time
2: recurring or operating at exactly the same periods
3: involving or indicating synchronism
4 a: having the same period; also : having the same period and phase b: geostationary
5: of, used in, or being digital communication (as between computers) in which a common timing signal is established that dictates when individual bits can be transmitted and which allows for very high rates of data transfer

 

[Mentz114]

granpa,
so, 'synchronous' has several possible meanings - which one do you mean ? Quoting dictionary definitions is no way to conduct a discussion.

1: happening, existing, or arising at precisely the same time

You've got to be joking. There is no such thing as 'precisely the same time' for spatially separated events. It depends on clock synchronisation, surely ?

I've forgotten what the argument is about, sorry, but you have a way of muddying the water.

 

[granpa]

There is no such thing as 'precisely the same time' for spatially separated events.

i think i know where the muddy waters are coming from and its not me. you might want to reconsider this position. i am not going to try to prove it to you though. you're going to have to work it out for yourself.

 

[Mentz114]

OK, I withdraw from that position. If our frame was a non-accelerating and non-rotating space-ship, we could synchronise clocks and distribute them (very slowly) around the ship. Then two events could be said to be simultaneous if they happened at six o'clock ( or whatever), as seen on the nearest clock.

 

[Austin0]

When they do that, a bunch of relativistic effects must always be included, and this includes the adjustments of the length of the bunch. In lab frame, the bunch length is always less than the bunch that we work with in the bunch frame. This manifest itself in our calculation of the space charge effects, for example.

_____________________________________________----
Hello Zapper The one thing I am unclear on is: When you say the space charge effects---does this mean that the contraction of the electrostatic effects make the electrons therefore bunch closer together or that the contraction, in effect ,opens up more space between them which is a problem if you want compact bunches?

Thanks [at least I hope that is the only thing I am unclear on]